masn-baseballs-orioles.jpgRyan Mountcastle has returned to the Orioles’ lineup tonight after being scratched yesterday.
Adley Rutschman is the designated hitter against the Pirates in Sarasota. Maikel Franco is the cleanup hitter.
Trey Mancini is starting again at first base. Cedric Mullins is leading off and playing center field, with Austin Hays in right.
Orioles manager Brandon Hyde said wants to see better fastball command from Dean Kremer and Keegan Akin. Kremer started last night. Akin gets his chance…

Ryan Mountcastle has returned to the Orioles’ lineup tonight after being scratched yesterday.

Adley Rutschman is the designated hitter against the Pirates in Sarasota. Maikel Franco is the cleanup hitter.

Trey Mancini is starting again at first base. Cedric Mullins is leading off and playing center field, with Austin Hays in right.

Orioles manager Brandon Hyde said wants to see better fastball command from Dean Kremer and Keegan Akin. Kremer started last night. Akin gets his chance tonight.

Thumbnail image for Akin-Pitch-Orange-ST-sidebar.jpgAkin has made three appearances (one start) and allowed four runs and seven hits in 6 2/3 innings. He’s walked five batters and struck out 11.

Relievers tonight include Tanner Scott, Paul Fry, Shawn Armstrong and Rule 5 picks Mac Sceroler and Tyler Wells.

“I’m trying my best to not look at the big picture,” Sceroler said yesterday in a Zoom call. “I’m trying to come to the field every day with one thing on my mind, to become a better pitcher, taking my stuff on the field. At the end of the day, whatever happens happens. I’m just trying to control what I can control. Whether or not the situation unfolds how I want it, that’s out of my control. I’m just trying to do what I can on the field.

“This camp has been an awesome learning experience for me personally. Just learning more about myself as a pitcher each day, here facing all these hitters, the best hitters in the world. I hit a learning curve there the first in the first couple weeks of camp, but that was one of my big learning experiences, just learning to trust my stuff and attack the zone. It’s been a bunch of things kind of similar to that.”

There’s been the usual bonding between Rule 5 picks, with Sceroler and Wells becoming good friends in camp and offering support and encouragement. Doesn’t matter that they’re also in direct competition with each other.

“Having a guy like Tyler coming into the same situation that I’m coming into, we’re both coming to a new team, we don’t know anybody, so it’s been good to kind of have each other to lean on at times,” said Sceroler, who hasn’t allowed a run in three of his four appearances but surrendered five against the Blue Jays in one-third of an inning.

“We’re catch play partners. Each day I’m helping him, he’s helping me, just trying to make our arsenal better. Pretty much every guy in this clubhouse is super helpful and friendly, man. I mean, in terms of helping each other out, whether or not we’re competing for the same position, everybody is offering their help to us, which I find really cool.”

Sceroler and Wells enter the final week still in the running for a spot on the 26-man roster. Defying the odds.

“It’s not really any different,” Sceroler said. “I’m just going to come here every day taking care of myself on the field and the stuff is out of my control and I’m trying my best to not worry about that, because once you start worrying about that it can affect your on-field performance. I feel like if I come here and just take care of my stuff on the field, everything will fall out how I want it to.”

Pirates right-hander Sean Poppen is making his first start after six relief appearances. He’s allowed four earned runs (five total) and 10 hits in eight innings.

Left-hander Bruce Zimmermann said he hasn’t been told whether he has made the team. He’s allowed one hit in nine scoreless innings.

Tonight’s game airs on MASN.

For the Orioles
Cedric Mullins CF
Trey Mancini 1B
Ryan Mountcastle LF
Maikel Franco 3B
Austin Hays RF
Freddy Galvis SS
Pedro Severino C
Adley Rutschman DH
Pat Valaika 2B

Keegan Akin LHP

For the Pirates
Anthony Alford LF
Erik González 2B
Phillip Evans RF
Todd Frazier 1B
Wilmer Difo 3B
Brian Goodwin CF
Tony Wolters C
Liover Peguero SS
Jared Oliva DH

Sean Poppen RHP

Jorge López starts Friday night against the Yankees in Tampa, John Means starts Saturday night against the Braves in North Port and Matt Harvey starts Sunday afternoon against the Pirates in Sarasota.